‘Jai Shri Ram’ chants reflect hatred: Gogoi

New Delhi, February 10

Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday said the chants of “Jai Shri Ram” convey a feeling of hatred and anger rather than love and devotion, and urged the BJP to shun the tradition of worshipping Nathuram Godse, who had assassinated Mahatma Gandhi.

He said this during the discussion on Ram Temple in the Lok Sabha. Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi also wondered whether the BJP-led government was a government of a particular religion or a community. Gogoi said Lord Ram belongs to everyone and is with everyone all the time. He said true “Ram Rajya” is that where everyone is happy and contented, while wondering whether the oppressed and minorities of the country were happy in the present times.

He said the arrogance of the BJP was stopping them from seeing inflation, intolerance, violence towards minorities, amid protests by treasury benches. The chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ must reflect love and goodwill, he said, adding “but your ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chant has anger and hatred. You cannot be a ‘Ram Bhakt’ if your heart is filled with hatred, if you fire bullets at others or desecrate places of worship of other religions”.